I know you want to feel good mum, I know you don't want to feel like shit. No one does. But here's the thing, feeling healthy and strong as a mum isn't as simple as it used to be before you had kids, is it doable? Fucking oath!! But I get that it's hard! 

There's so much to do, there’s so much noise and the thought of having to make a change, research where to start and actually action it might tip you over the fucking edge. You are barely functioning as it is, although you want to feel good you don't have the mental capacity or energy to take action. I feel you!! And after a long day once the kids are FINALLY in bed it's just easier to switch off and sloth in front of the tv or scroll social media than it is to think about yourself. But I want you to feel good, I want you to have the energy, body, confidence, happiness and health that you deserve. So here are 4 tips that other coaches won't tell you because they don't get it!!

Affirmations for more self love and confidence

We are literally a product of our thoughts. Our environment, our reality, our mindset are all determined by what we think. Let's change the thoughts, let's cut the negativity, I know it's hard but with some practice you can change your mindset. Start by choosing a few of these to write down, put on a sticky note, make the screensaver on your phone and repeat to yourself daily.

Rediscover your passions in 7 days challenge.

When we transition from maiden to mother it can be easy to feel like we have lost ourselves. To feel like we have lost our identity. This can then go on to affect our interests and hobbies, not to mention when we become mums we lose all that free time we used to have. However, we need hobbies, we need passions, these are the things that connect us to ourselves and bring joy and stress relief to the busy crazy world that is motherhood!

4 hacks every mums needs to know to reduce overwhelm and stress

Everyone is out there talking about how busy mums just need to exercise more and get more sleep to reduce stress but no one is talking about this!!

When we hear the words self care we often think of the ‘self care Sunday’ trend, but why are we leaving it to a Sunday only? Why not everyday? Self care doesn't have to be a big event, to me self care are those little daily acts that make the day go from average to amazing. And heres the thing, its those daily little self care slow moments that can make a big difference when it comes to our mental health, stress and resentment. 

Here are 5 reasons why as mamas we need to practice self care daily 

When we have a baby our whole lives change as mothers, not only does our brains literally change in a transition called matrescence, our bodies also change, our routines, habits, social life, sleep and reality gets turned upside down. I know for myself one of the biggest things that I never anticipated or prepared for was my relationship with my husband and how that would change, and not just once but after both babies our relationship changed and there was a period of tension and unease. It's so hard as a new parent and I don't think anyone can prepare you for the effect it can have on your relationship. 1 in 5 relationships will break down in the first 12 months after having a baby and yet it's not something we commonly speak about. 

4 things josh and I do now as parents to make sure we are both getting our needs met, putting our health first and avoids bickering 

After Paige was born we knew things had to change for us to both thrive, to avoid bickering, resentment & make this parenting and relationship thing as easy as possible so we came up with a few rules and routines to ensure that we could both thrive.

From the time I got my first period at 11 years old I struggled with my health.  I was in constant pain, my period came every 14-16 days and was excruciating to the point that I would have to have days off school, my hormones were completely out of whack, I had horrible skin and was bloated all of the time. I was put on the pill at 14 to help with all of these issues but after just a few months of taking it my symptoms were actually worse (I have not been on the pill since or used any kind of hormonal contraception). I saw numerous doctors who really had no idea what was wrong with me, I had tests, ultrasounds and more tests. Still having no idea what was wrong with me the doctors sent me for surgery when I turned 18 (2012), this is when I was diagnosed with PCOS and endometriosis. 

What a ride my births have been. I've never had that skin to skin baby bubble and neither of my girls have had their first feed from me; it's been through a tube both times. I’d decided to have a planned cesarean because of the craziness of Paige's birth and the miscarriage I endured.

I was recently asked how I stay centred with so many things going on and with all the roles that I have, so thought I'd share my top tips for managing life and staying healthy with a full schedule.

Did you know that around 50% of mothers will experience postpartum depletion! 50%!!! AND can last up to 10 years for some! Umm what?

Did you also know that women are more likely to suffer from a chronic illness than men?

In my opinion this has everything to do with the way we look after ourselves and other mamas after birth and the years following. 

When I had my 12 week ultrasound the sonographer asked if I had had a vaginal birth, when I told her it was a cesarean she was shocked. She explained that usually she can see the scar and scar tissue in the ultrasound but she couldn't see mine at all.

I was so excited, I left the ultrasound and told pretty much everyone and even messaged my physio to tell her, because she was a big part of how I made that happen.

Preparing your body during pregnancy for labour and birth can have some major benefits and really help to support your recovery. Check out these 3 relatively easy tips below.

Around 15-20% of women will experience postpartum depression at some stage. When we think about the risk factors linked to postpartum depression we often think about women who have a history of mental disorders, experience stressful life events, have a lack of support, have a history of abuse, experience a pregnancy loss or have a baby who is unwell and difficult to settle, but we almost never hear about how nutritional deficiencies can increase the risk of postpartum depression also.

Studies show that there are 3 main nutritional deficiencies that can increase your risk of postpartum depression; they include omega 3 DHA and EPA, iron and vitamin D.

This pregnancy has been one of mixed emotion, having a miscarriage in just October last year really affected my ability to enjoy and accept the pregnancy at the start. In the past I was peeing on that pregnancy test the day after my period was due; however, this time it took me over a week to actually test, and then another week before I actually called to make a doctor's appointment. Because I was scared, if I accepted it it meant that I could lose it. If I went to the doctors and lost the baby again I was just wasting my own time and the doctor's time.

What supplements have I been taking and why?

What foods have I been eating?

Dealing with pregnancy conditions like nausea, constipation and fatigue.

"Although it's not common knowledge, the world's leading health organisations have stated that 95% of all cancer is diet and environment related

This literally means that at least 95 out of 100 cancer cases could have been prevented. Stated another way, 95 out of every 100 cancer cases is man-made and is caused by living in a cancerous environment" Dr Stephen Cabral, The Rain Barrel Effect

When Paige was a baby she was breast and formula fed 😱

For some people this might come as a shock and some people might not agree with it but that’s ok. 

Yes I am a big believer in natural and healthy living, but I am also a big believer in looking after the mama and ensuring that she is getting the rest and support that she needs to thrive. 

Pictured is my breast the first time I got mastitis, it might not look like much but those that have experienced it before know that it is not a fun experience 😣

I got mastitis twice after I had Paige and both times were absolutely horrible. 😦Fortunately both times I was able to identify and manage it myself without needing to go to the doctors or go on antibiotics.

I have never actually shared Paige’s birth story so thought I'd write a blog post on it.

In short 43 hours of labour, an emergency cesarean, Paige had some breathing complications which meant she was taken away from us, I didn't see or hold her until 5 hours after she was born and she had her first breastfeed at 10 hours old.

Click the link to read the full story, it’s a long one.

Why am I told I cannot have soft cheese?

Put simply- food poisoning. Due to certain hormonal and immune system changes in pregnancy the risk of infection including food borne viruses (food poisoning) increases.

In all honesty the risk of illness from soft cheese is quite low if stored and handled correctly. It is estimated that the risk of getting listeria from soft cheese to be 1 case in 5 million servings of soft cheese.